Car-coupling



NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. DUFF, OF MURPHYSBOROUGI-I, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,526, dated November 16, 1886.

Application filed September 30, 1886. Serial No. 214,952. (No model.)

- of the United States, residing at Murphys` borough, inthecounty of Jackson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as Will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertaihs to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to car-couplers; and the object of the invention is to provide an automatic coupler of simple construction and operation, and cheap and durable.

Vith these general objects in 'View the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and partielllarly pointed out in the claims.

Relerring to the drawings, Figure l is a plan of a car-coupler constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central vertical section on the line X of Fig. l. Figs. 3 and 4 are top and bottom perspectives of the locking pawl; and Fig. 5

V is a detail in perspective of the lifting or operating lever.

`Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the iigures of the drawings.

A represents the draw-head of a carcoup ler, and B the draw-bar. The head A is formed with the recess A and the integral cross-bar A2 at the top thereof.

O represents the locking-pawl, the forward end of which is provided with a curved or semicircular recess, O', Which is adapted t0 fit and revolve partly around the cross-bar A2. The pawl O is also formed with the locking-shoulder O2, into which an ordinary connecting-link is adapted to take, and at the upper rear end of the pawl is formed an operating-shoulder, O3.

Within a recess at the rear end of the recess or chamber A is pivoted an operating cam-lever, D, formed with the cam portion D', which cam portion is located directly under and against the operating-shoulder O3. The operating-shoulder O3 is inclined transversely across the rear end of the pawl, Which pawl is pivotally held Within the recess by means of a pin or pivot, D.

This being the construction, the operation of coupling and uncoupling is as follows: The weight of the pawl is of course sufficient to cause it to rest upon the bottom of the drawhead, and an approaching link passes'within the chamberA and against the beveled or slanting front face of the pawl when the same is caused to rise, allowing the link to pass to the rear end of the locking-chamber,where upon the pawl drops by gravity, and the link is held in place by means of the locking shoulder or lug C2 of the pawl. The cars are now coupled, and that automatically; To uncouple the same it is only necessary to raise the operating-lever D, which raises or swings the cam portion D upwardly, which, coming in contact with the slanting operatingshoulder C3 of the pawl, causes the pawl to rise and allow the link to be withdrawn.

If desired, a chain or rope may be connected to the free end of the lever D, and may eX- tend to any convenient part oi' the platform or of the car, whereby the operation of unl coupling may be carried on without the necessity of leaving the platform.

By reason of theloose mounting of the pawl C, it is evident that the same may easily and quickly be replaced when Worn.

Having described my invention and its operation, what I claim isl. In a car-coupler, a draw-head recessed and formed with a transverse bar, in combination with a gravity locking-pawl formed with a locking-shoulder and operating-shoul-- der at its rear end, and witha cam-lever pivoted in said chamber and under and in contact with said operating-shoulder, substantially as specified.

2. In a car-coupler, the combinationoi` a drawhead formed with a recess and transverse bar, with a locking gravity-pawl loosely mounted on the transverse bar and removable from the chamber, and formed with a locking-shoulder and a slanting operatingshoulder, and with a cam-lever pivoted in said recess and in contact with the operating-shoulder, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the draw-head A, having the recess A and cross-bar A2, with the pawl C, having the shoulders C2 G3, and the pivoted cam-lever D, formed with the cam portion D', substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JOHN F. DUFF.

Witnesses:

W. S. BANNERS, C. FBEUDENBEIQE@ IOO 

